Collecting vessel and top for spinning yarn cakes

ABSTRACT

IN A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT, FOR USE IN A CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER REVOLVING AROUND ITS AXIS FOR THE COLLECTION OF A YARN ANNULUS OR CAKE, A PLASTIC ANNULAR DISK, AS A TOP TO THE CONTAINER, HAVING FUSED TO ONE FACE THEREOF A CYLINDER OF SCREEN MATERIAL FORMED BY FORMING A CYLINDER FROM A STRIP OF THE SCREEN MATERIAL WITH ONE END OF THE STRIP OVERLAPPING THE OTHER END, THE WIDTH OF THE STRIP, I.E., THE HEIGHT OF THE SCREEN CYLINDER, BEING SLIGHTLY LESS   THAN THE DEPTH OF THE CONTAINER, AND THE PLASTIC ANNULAR DISK HAVING A PLURALITY OF PERFORATIONS THEREIN FOR THE PASSING OF WATER DURING THE PROCESS OF FORMING THE YARN CAKE WITHIN THE REVOLVING SCREEN.

Feb. 2, 1971 H. SEEBER .COLLECTING VESSEL AND TOPRYFOR SPINNING YARN CAKES,

Filed May 21, 1969 F/GI INVENTOR HOWARD A. 555855 B) I, Z

ATTORNEY United States Patent Office US. Cl. 57--76 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a preferred embodiment, for use in a cylindrical container revolving around its axis for the collection of a yarn annulus or cake, a plastic annular disk, as a top to the container, having fused to one face thereof a cylinder of screen material formed by forming a cylinder from a strip of the screen material with one end of the strip overlapping the other end, the width of the strip, i.e., the height of the screen cylinder, being slightly less than the depth of the container, and the plastic annular disk having a plurality of perforations therein for the passing of water during the process of forming the yarn cake within the revolving screen.

SPECIFICATION This invention is directed to a novel article of manufacture advantageously employable in a process in which a cake or annulus of yarn is formed by feeding the yarn through an opening in the top of a revolving vessel in which the revolving motion of the revolving vessel centrifugally throws the yarn against the sides of the revolving collecting vessel, whereby the cake is built up normally from the outside gradually towards the inside of the cake.

BACKGROUND Typical of the process to which this invention is directed is a process of the general type discussed in the US. Pat. No. 2,667,733, and also of the copending application Ser. No. 641,757, now abandoned, commonly assigned. In each of these above noted processes, the yarn is preferably collected in a vessel such as a cylindrical vessel by feeding the yarn through the central hole in an annular top to the vessel and building up the cake against the sides of the revolving vessel, revolving around the imaginary concentric axis of the collecting vessel.

In order to make a process, for example, of the type described in the application Ser. No. 641,757 commercially more attractive, it is necessary to effectuate timesaving procedures and machinery, and to concurrently maintain a high quality product. Prior to the applicants invention, there were many problems and/or obstacles to be overcome. For example, in the above referred to copending application process, in which a strand of several filaments each of asbestos fibers is fed from an apparatus producing the strand, a major problem in the collection of the several filaments as a single strand of yarn arose from the time loss resulting from an extended period of shutdown necessary for the removal of a collection vessel employed for the collection of the strand filaments being continuously fed from the apparatus to produce a cake.

Another problem previously associated with this process was the finding of a suitable method of placing a top on the collection vessel in a manner whereby the top would serve to restrain the collected strand (i.e., the cake) therein and whereby the top would be securely fastened so as not to slide-off of the spinning (revolving) collection vesselthereby eliminating a serious hazard, whereby the top would be fastened in a manner and by 3,559,393 Patented Feb. 2., 1971 a means that would not cause imbalance in the revolving vessel to which it would be attached, and whereby the top and the attaching means would be both of low cost and easily manipulated in order to hold to a minimum the time necessary to remove or to secure the top and to remove the roll of collected strand (yarn).

Another problem associated with this particular process (of the above noted copending application) was the difficulty of and slowness of removing the collected strand of filaments from the collecting vessel, in the form of a cake, and also the difficulty and slowness of preparing the collecting vessel for future use for collection of filaments in the strand form.

Another problem related to the difliculty of forming a cake or annulus having a substantially cylindrical (for example) shape. Because perforations are preferred in the sides of the typically cylindrical collecting vessel in order to effectuate the drying of the yarn cake or yarn annulus, the centrifugal action of the revolving collecting vessel caused the yarn to dip into the perforations whereby the surface of the yarn annulus exhibited bumps corresponding to the perforations, and whereby removal of the yarn annulus or cake from the collecting vessel was impaired by the bumps clinging to the perforations. Although the inclusion of a screen overcame this particular problem, other new problems resulted, such as the started yarn annulus shape whenever the screen failed to overlap itself and the increased process complexity of inserting the screen and thereafter carefully inserting the body of the top of the container inside the screen without bending over nor pressing down on an edge of the screen to thereby inadvertently cause wrinkles in the screen, or the like, and also the additional step of carefully unwinding the screen after careful removal of the annulus and the screen from the screens compacted (pressed) position against the sides of the screen within the container sides.

Also prior to this invention, it had been generally accepted as being necessary to insert a removable base plate within the vessel on which the yarn annulus would be formed. The center of the base plate included typically a threaded aperture for insertion of a threaded rod through the central cylindrical hole in the yarn cake for removal of the base plate and the yarn cake carried thereon. Each of the steps of inserting the base plate, and of inserting the rod prior to lifting the base plate, of disconnecting the lifting rod, and of thereafter reinserting the plate, each considered alone, and all considered cumulatively, added to the complexity of the process and the expensive time required therefor.

All of these various problems cumulatively resulted in the overall process for producing the asbestos strand of the above referred to copending application much less practical and attractive commercially.

It was therefore desirable to overcome these problems.

THE OBJECTS An object of this invention is an annular top which overcomes the problem of spinning off of a revolving vessel on which the top is placed.

Another object is an annular top securable to a vessel by a means which does not significantly impair symmetrical balance of the top when placed upon the vessel and the vessel revolved centrifugally around the vessels concentric axis.

Another object of this invention is an article for collecting a strand or yarn cake, and for removal of the cake in an easy manner from the revolvable vessel.

Another object is an article for release in an easy manner of the cake of yarn or strand collected within the enclosure of the article.

Other objects become apparent from the above and following disclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises an article and the employment thereof, in which the article is a sturdy but flexible annular disklike means, i.e., annular top, as a top to a collecting vessel, the disk being preferably perforated at the top, and having a hole in the center of the top of a diameter sufficiently large to pass a yarn-feeding means therethrough, through which the continuous strand of filaments is fed into the collecting vessel, and the top is permanently (fixedly) attached directly to a cylindrical screen (such as by the screen being molded or compressed into a plastic top) which top fits snugly into the opening at the top of a larger collecting vessel. The screen is in the shape of a bottomless cylinder collecting vessel, the cylindrically wound screen being of at least more than about one-half of one complete revolution, and the screen is discontinuous for substantially the entire length of one side of the cylinder (at least partially the lower-half portion of that side of the screen is split or overlapped), one edge of the discontinuous side of the screen preferably and substantially overlapping the other edge of the side of the discontinuous screen. More particularly, the top of the type described above is an article comprising a substantially semirigid annular disk having a predetermined outside diameter ranging from about the same diameter as an inside diameter of a container of which said annular disk is a removable top thereof, up to a diameter greater than said containers outside diameter, one face of said annular disk being fixedly attached to an annular edge of a cylindrically wound screen, said screen including at least more than about one-half of one revolution whereby the screen firmly grips the cake as the top is lifted by gripping adjacent the tops central hole. Included in one embodiment of the invention is the entire machine, or apparatus, including the revolvable collecting vessel, a means for revolving the collecting vessel, and a means for feeding yarn into the collecting vessel through the central opening in the annular disk. Accordingly, the process of this invention includes the placing of the above described novel pot, i.e., the above described article, into the revolvable container, revolving the container and article contained therein around the axis of the container, feeding the yarn or strand of filaments through the central opening of the annular disk (top) sufficiently to form a cake enclosed by the screen, substantially stopping the revolving, applying a lifting force at least one point along the central point of the annular disk whereby the article and the cake enclosed thereby are lifted from the container. Another embodiment of the process includes the release of the cake from the enclosing screen by applying pressure on the annular disk in a manner whereby the outer-circumferential edges of annular disk move away from the cake and the inner-circumferential edges of the disk move toward the cake, sufficiently to release the cake from the cylindrically wound screen.

BROAD DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION By virtue of the employment of the cylindrical screen as a part of the article of this invention and having the annular disk or top attached directly to the screen, complicated and expensive means of otherwise attaching the top to the collecting vessel are avoided, the collecting vessel requires no base or bottom thereto, other than the normal bottom to the collecting vessel, and when filled may be easily removed from the collecting vessel by merely lifting the top by grasping through the hole in the center of the top, whereby the collecting cylindrical screen vessel and the strand of filaments or the yarn collected therein as a cake are removed as a unit from the larger collecting vessel in which the cylindrical screen had been inserted. The roll of the collected continuous strand held within the cylindrical screen is easily removed by merely exerting a downward pressure in the center of the top and/or and upward pressure around the outer-circumferential edges of the top, whereby the screen enclosing the collected roll neatly releases the roll from the screen. In substantially one continuous motion, the article of this invention may be removed and the roll deposited on a suitable stacking platform, and the top promptly reinserted for future use. Alternatively, in the meantime, after removal of the top and the cake, a reserve top and screen might have already been promptly inserted into the pot from which the filled screen vessel and top were removed.

Another advantage of this invention arises from the employment of the screen which serves to restrain the collected strand of filaments or cake of asbestos fibers from the sides of the larger revolving vessel in which the cylindrical screen is inserted thereby serving to facilitate the drying and setting of the collected strand of filaments as a result of the centrifugal action. By virtue of the novel article described above of this invention, it is possible to advantageously employ the screen for this purpose while concurrently gaining the advantages of the objects of this invention.

For better understanding of the invention described above, reference is made to FIG. I and FIG. II in which the several parts are labeled. FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of the annular top. FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of a collecting vessel. The FIG. I discloses the novel article of this invention, namely a substantially, semirigid, substantially semiflexible annular top (1) with a concentric aperture (2) having attached to one face (3) thereof a screen (4) substantially of a cylindrical shape having discontinuous sides (5) of the screen extending from the bottom (6) of the screen upward toward the top, employable in combination with FIG. II collecting vessel (7) having an opening at the top thereof larger in diameter than the annular top and of receipt of the annular top, the vessel having perforations in the sides thereof for the expulsion of water and the collecting vessel resting on a revolvable base (8); a feeding means (not shown) is conventionally insertable through the central hole in the annular disk, for feeding a strand of yarn into the screen after insertion of the screen into the vessel and after or substantially simultane ously with the beginning of the revolving of the vessel. A drive means (not show) of an conventional type revolves the revolvable base.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the cylindrically wound screen of the novel article at least partially overlaps itself (9) and the overlapped screen is sufficiently free from attachments to the operlapped screen that there is freedom of movement of the overlapping screen on the overlapped screen along points from one end (the bottom) of the cylinder to the other (the top), with the exception of a substantially common area of attachment (10) to the face or edge of the annular disk.

In another preferred embodiment the cylindrically wound screen of the novel article of this invention defines substantially a cylinder having a predetermined height ranging form slightly less than, up to about the same as the collecting vessels depth.

In another preferred embodiment, the annular disk includes a plurality of perforations (11), whereby during the centrifugal action of the revolving vessel, water carried by the strand or yarn being collected in the form of a roll may be thrown out through the perforations, rather than merely collecting at the end of the roll between the roll and the annular top; thereby the physical characteristics of the roll are improved.

As stated above, another embodiment of this invention includes an apparatus comprising the above-dcscribed article, in combination with the revolvable col lecting vessel, a means for revolving the collecting vessel, and a means for feeding yarn into the vessel through the central opening of the annular disk.

For each of the novel article and for the combination, a preferred embodiment includes an annular disk comprising substantially a plastic material.

In another preferred embodiment, the plastic material comprises substantially a cured polyurethane elastomer.

In another preferred embodiment, the edges of the screen are coated with a plastic or rubber-like material, or the like, to prevent fraying and to prevent marring of collected rolls.

In a preferred embodiment of the novel apparatus of this invention, discussed above, the cylinders diameter at a point adjacent the face of the annular disk to which it is attached normally and preferably ranges from about 8.2 inches to about 8.5 inches, the cylinders height normally and preferably ranges from about 8.8 inches up to about 9.4 inches, the annular disk normally and preferably has a thickness at a point of the outside diameter ranging from about 0.2 inch up to about 0.4 inch, and normally has a thickness at a point of the inside diameter ranging from 0.1 inch up to about 0.2 inch, the annular disks inside diameter normally and preferably ranges from about 2.2 inches up to about 2.5 inches, and the screen normally preferably comprises substantially stainless steel mesh.

The annular disk of the article of this invention is de scribed above as a substantially semirigid and substantially semiflexible material, preferably a plastic material. The terms substantially semirigid and substantially semiflexible are intended to mean approximately the same, i.e., describing a composition which is not so rigid that it is incapable of flexing and not so rigid that it is susceptible to probable cracking or fracturing if flexed, but alternatively is not so flexible that it cannot be used as a means of support. The substantially semirigid and substantially semiflexible composition of this invention is one which for example when a lifting force is applied upwardly for example by an artisan grasping the annular disk through the central opening around the edges thereof to lift the disk and the wire cylinder attached thereto having the yarn or strand cake enclosed by the wire, the center of the disk in response to the lifting force is pulled upward relative to the edges of the outer diameter of the annular disk, a result of this flexing action being that the downwardly inclined outer edges of the annular disk impart a clinging action to the screen in its action upon the cake whereby the cylindrically wrapped screen at least continues to maintain its grasp on the cake to an extent that the cake is not released from the screen during the lifting action. Similarly, the substantially sernirigid and substantially semiflexible composition of the annular disk of this invention is further characterized by the degree of (flexibility illustrated for example by either before or after placing the cake on a suitable platform, pressing downwardly near the center (i.e., near the central opening) of the annular disk and/ or lifting upwardly on the outer edges of the annular disk relative to the stationary position or downward motion of the central portions of the annular disk, whereby as a result of this flexing action the screen circumscribing the roll is lifted outwardly from the roll and the roll is thereby released from the clinging action of the screen; in that manner the novel article of the annular disk and the cylindrical screen attached thereto is easily removed from the roll.

Accordingly, any conventional and/or prior art elastomer or other plastic compositions, including a suitable amount of plasticizer where needed, may be employed as the composition for the annular disk of this invention the physical properties insofar as rigidity and flexibility being merely adjusted by the use of ordinary skill to meet the above-stated required degree of rigidity and flexibility. Although a closed cell foam or nonfoam may be employed, and in such situations preferably imparting small holes or perforations thereto, in a preferred embodiment a plastic or an opened cell foam, for example,

may be used, whereby the preferred perforations in the annular disk are already present. Although the applicants invention is not limited to the following illustrative examples, typical closed-cell sponge compositions include those for examples in US. Pats. Nos. 2,481,188; 2,779,- 754; 3,050,503; 3,110,709; 2,256,483; 2,440,800; 2,586,- 363; 2,592,763; 2,615,000; 2,630,425; 2,659,707; 2,723,- 255; 2,852,261; 2,852,497; 2,914,496; 2,982,759; 2,994,- 688; 3,001,964; 3,001,965; 3,026,294; 2,960,482; and the like, provided that where needed at least sufficient plasticizer is included to render the material substantially semirigid and substantially semiflexible. In addition to a composition preferably of a polyurethane elastomer, other suitable plastics include polyvinylchloride, styrene, and the like, again also including any suitable or conventional prior art or other equivalent plasticizer in an amount needed to assure the above stated, desired and required flexibility of the annular disk of the novel article of this invention.

Other ingredients included in such plastics, elastomers, and the like, are the same as would be included in conventional and/or prior art and/or other equivalent compositions.

Although a stainless steel screen is employed in a preferred embodiment of this invention, any suitable metallic or nonmetallic screen may be employed, including for example nylon mesh or other synthetic meshes. In preferred embodiments however, the screen should be of a material which does not readily corrode nor otherwise stain the cake, and also which preferably has at least desirably a relatively high tensile strength. Whatever screen is employed, it should be inherently or as a result of additional treatment or coating, made to have somewhat semirigid characteristics to an extent that it responds to the lifting action when the annular disk is grasped around the central opening and lifted, and to the extent that it responds to the releasing action or lifting upwardly on the outer edges of the annular disk while pressing downwardly on the central portion of the annular disk near the central openings thereof.

Although the screen in the cylindrically rolled fashion of this invention may be attached to the annular disk by any suitable means either along the edge of the annular disk or to a face of the annular disk, the language of the claims of this invention in referring to the cylindrically rolled screen being attached to a face of the disk refer merely to some suitable means of attachment either at the edge of the face or directly from the face in a manner whereby the disk serves to enclose one end of the open cylinder formed by the cylindrically rolled screen. Although it is not necessary for the screen to be attached at all points around the annular disk, it must be attached at least at suflicient points that the annular disk when flexed as discussed above serves to hold onto the cake when lifted by a lifting action on the annular disk and that the screen serve to respond to the releasing motion when the anlrgular disk is flexed as discussed above to release the ca e.

The above disclosure is intended to solely illustrate the invention and is not intended to unduly limit the scope thereof except to the extent expressly stated and to the extent that the appended claims are limited. Accordingly, it is within the scope of this invention to use those substituents or equivalent means as would be apparent and obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

What I claim is:

1. An article comprising a substantially semirigid annular disk means having a predetermined outside diameter ranging from about the same diameter as an inside diameter of a collecting vessel of which said annular disk is a removable top thereof, up to a diameter greater than said vessels outside diameter, one face of said annular disk means being fixedly attached to an annular edge of a cylindrically wound screen of at least more than about one-half of one complete revolution, said annular disk means being substantially semiflexible.

2. An article according to claim 1, in which said cylindrically Wound screen at least partially overlaps itself, and in which overlapped screen is free of any fixed attachment to overlapping screen, at points other than Where said cylindrical screen attaches to said face.

3. An article according to claim 2, in which said cylindrically wound screen defines substantially a cylinder having a predetermined height ranging from slightly less than, up to about the same as said collecting vessels depth, and in which said annular disk includes a plurality of perforations.

4. An apparatus comprising an article according to claim 1, in combination with said collecting vessel, 9. means for revolving said collecting vessel, and a means for feeding yarn into said vessel through said annular disk means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, in which said cylinders diameter adjacent said face ranges from about 8.2 inches to about 8.5 inches, in which said cylinders height ranges from about 8.8 up to about 9.4 inches, in which said annular disk means has a thickness at the outside diameter thereof ranging from about 0.2 inch up to about 0.4 inch and at an inside diameter ranging from about 0.1 up to about 0.2 inch and in which said screen comprises substantially stainless steel mesh.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, in which said cylindrically wound screen at least partially overlaps itself, and in which overlapped screen is free of any fixed attachment to overlapping screen, at points other than where said cylindrical screen attaches to said face.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, in which said cylindrically wound screen defines substantially a cylinder having a predetermined height ranging from slightly less than, up to about the same as said collecting vessels depth, and in which said annular disk means includes a plurality of perforations.

8. An article according to claim 3, in which said top comprises a plastic material.

9. An article according to claim 8, in which said plastic comprises substantially a cured polyurethane elastomer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,073,840 3/1937 Harrison 5776 2,313,268 3/1943 Rubinstein 5776 2,598,752 6/1952 Bolger 5776 3,368,341 2/1968 Goebel 5776 DONALD E. WATKINS, Primary Examiner 

